Cherries: Fletcher hoping experience holds true

23 April 2010 07:00

CLUB captain Steve Fletcher admits there will be nerves in the Cherries camp but he is hoping previous experiences will help as the finishing line looms into view.

Dean Court legend Fletcher will be hoping help write another memorable chapter in the club's history books when Cherries visit Burton Albion tomorrow (3pm).

With just three games of the League Two campaign remaining, Eddie Howe's team are on the verge of landing an automatic promotion place and securing a spot in English football's third tier.

A victory at the Pirelli Stadium would spark a party, while Rotherham and Bury failing to take maximum points would also see Cherries go up, regardless of their result in East Staffordshire.

Cherries' record appearance-maker Fletcher, a key man in last season's Great Escape and a play-off final hero in 2003, knows all about representing the club in big matches.

And he told the Echo: Make no mistake about it, we know what's on the game.

It might make us a bit nervous the lads are going to have a few nerves flying around but sometimes that's a good thing.

Fletcher thinks what his colleagues went through in dramatically beating the drop to stay in the Football League 12 months ago could prove a key factor during the final push.

Most of our lads have been in a similar position last season I know it was at the other end of the scale, he said.

So a few of our boys should have gained a lot of experience from that. Now we're at the other end of the table, you would think that is the enjoyable side of it because that is where you want to be. But there's no real enjoyment unless you're winning.

The game is huge and a few of the boys will be nervous. But, hopefully, what happened last season will stand them in good stead.

We have got a young squad but I think we've got a young squad who have been through a lot, especially given what has happened to this club in the past two or three years.

The majority of the players have been here and seen it. Hopefully, we can go into the game and just do our stuff and get what I think the team thoroughly deserve which is a chance to play in League One.

Fletcher, who thinks the Brewers will prove to be very tough opposition, also had words of caution.

He added: People will look at the table and see we're eight points clear. If you're not a die-hard Bournemouth fan, you probably think it's done and dusted.

But I think we all know it's not. Football can change in a minute and in the snap of the fingers.

You can never rely on anything in football and it kicks you in the teeth when you think you've got it made.

We just don't want that to happen to us. We've come too far for that to happen.

¢ See today's Daily Echo for messages of support from Cherries' 2003 promotion winning team, as well as a feature interview with 1987 hero Trevor Aylott.